Improvement in hat-spreaders



started grant? (tithe.

THOMAS c. CRAVEN, o-F ALBANY, IIN-EW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 84,800, dated December '8, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-SPREADERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Know all men by these presents That I, THOMAS .0. CRAVEN, of Albany, in the county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay- Tedders; and I do hereby declare that the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-'- Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved hay-tedder; I

; Figure 2 represents a side View of the same;

Figure 3 represents a section on line A B, fig. 1;

Figure 4 represents a-se'ction through the wheel,

and'axle, on line 0 D, fig. 1.;

Figure 5 represents a View of the three-armed central support, for the bars of the reel; the end of one arm is shownin section;

Figure 6 represents a perspective view of one of the spring-teeth, showing the manner of I fastening them to. the bars of the reel Figure 7 represents a'view of the ratchet-device;

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of the end of one of the arms which support the bars at the centre of the reel, showing the cap'remoyed and the bars placed in position; and

Figure 9 represents the section of the clasp for fastening the teeth to the bars of the reel.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs,-.to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe it more in detail. r

The frame of my improved hay-tedder is composed of two side-rails A A, joined at their forward ends by a cross-piece, B, and. near their rear ends is placed.

shaft 0 of the reel, extending from one to the other, parallel to the cross-piece B. Tothe lower side of the rails A, near their centres,

are fastened metallic-bearings D, and through said bearings pass eccentrics E, which are hungand swing upon the inner ends of the axles E. v

A short axle is used at each side of the machine, instead 'ofone extending from side to side.

The axles are formed by turning trees or journals-e at their inner ends, upon which work the eccentrics E, and at their outerends trees or journals f, upon which are placed the wheels F. i

- The two axles are joined to each other by ametallic bar, G, which extends across from side to side at the front of the machine, with the ends turned back and welded to the axles E, between the trees or journals 0 and f. On the top of bar G is bolted the transom G, to which the thills H, or pole, are fastened.

The wheels F are constructed like the wheels commonly used on light carriages, and are secured upon the axle in the usual manner by nuts on. At the'inner sides of the Wheels are gears K, which meshinto the pinions I upon the ends of the reel-shaft O.

The gears K are secured to the spokes of the wheels F, by means of short arms or projections c, fastened to the rims of the gears K, and having in their ends grooves or channels that fit the spokes at the inner sides of the-wheels, where they are held by caps c, fitted in like manner to the outer sides of the spokes, and clamped firmly to the arms by screws or bolts, as fully indicated in the drawings.

,Across the rear of the frame is placed the reel, the

construction being as follows: I

Upon the shaft 0, at the inner sides of the rails A, are placed circular heads or disk-s L, secured to' the shaft 0 by screws (1. These heads or disks L are of metal, and are cast with strengthening-arms and rims, having near the latter sockets'to receive the ends of the bars N.

Midway between the heads L, upon the shaft G, is placed, and secured thereto by a screw, d, a threearmed support, M, from which, to the heads L, extend wooden bars N, having'upon them the spring-teeth 9 that stir the hay. r

The ends of the bars N are flattened at one side, as shown in the drawings, fig. 8, and are secured to the heads L by being inserted into the sockets made near the circumference, which correspond in form to the ends of the bars.

The bars N are secured to the central support M by being fitted into grooves formed in the ends of the arms for that purpose, where they are held by caps m, which rest on their flattened sides, and which are fastened to. thearms 'by a single screw or bolt in. each, passing through the cap m into thev end of the arm, between the ends of the bars N, as shown in the drawrn s. r

The teeth g are formed of wire, which is doubled and the ends coiled around-the bars N, forming a (301111 cal-shaped spring, as shown inthe drawings, fig. 6, the coils of the spring diminishing in circumference as they recede from the tooth. The ends of the wires are bent outward, and pass under clasps O, that are screwed bolted to the bars N I of the reel, and .by means of which the teeth 9 are held in place. Owing to the peculiar form of the spring, when the tooth g is pressed back, the coil farthest from-the tooth is first to close on the bar N, thereby utilizing the full amount of elasticity of each coil. This would not be the case were all the coils of the same size, as, in such case, the coil nearest the tooth would be the first to close upon the bar, thereby preventing the free action of the remaining coils.

Thus it will be seen that with the conical-coiled springs the teeth will withstand more pressure and rougher usage, without being damaged, than they would were the coils of the springs of equal circumference. p

The shaft 0, of the reel is supported upon the siderails A by means 'ofsuitable bearings, and the pinions I are placed upon the shaft'c, just outside the railsA,

working looselyon said shaft, the latter being turned by means of a ratchet-device, the construction of which is shown in the drawings, fig. 7.

To the ends of the shafts 0, outside the pinions .I,

are fastened metallic cups P, having upon the inner-v sides of their rims four lugs or projections 71-, and, pivoted to the outer sides of the pinions I by pins 'i, are pawls k, which work-inside the cups P.

To the backs of the pawls I: are fastened flat springs Z, which are curved and rest against pins n, fixed in the sides of pinions I.

By means of the springs Z, when the wheels F are moved forward, the pawl k is caused to engage with the lugs 7L on the inner side of the rims of the cups, thereby. turning the shaft 0 and operating the reel, but when the wheels are moved backward, the pawls It pass by the lugs, and the shaft is not acted upon.

Circular guards or hoops Q are fastened to the bearings D and side-rails A, which surroun the heads or disks L of the reel, thereby preventing any hay or other substance from being driven in and wound round the shaft between the heads and bearings.

The eccentrics E'have arms 1) attached to them, by which they are operated to throw the reel. into and out of gear. V

Springs s are fastened to the arms 12 of the eccentrics, having at their ends pins r,-which pass through the ends of the arms 1) into holes formed in the inner sides of the side-rails A, and by means of which the eccentrics are held in position whenthe reel is thrown into gear, as shown in the drawings. By moving the arms back, the reel is thrown out of gear, where it is held by placing the pin r in holes t, formed in the block a, extending up fi'om the rails A.

The height of the reel from the ground can be regulated by means of screws Rfixed to the thills H, extending upward and passingthrough the cross-piece B, where they are made adjustable with nuts '0 and c. In lieu of screws R, flat strips or rods of metal may be used, having upon them slides attached to the frame, which can be adjusted by movable pins passed through holes in the rods and slides.

Boards T, upon thetop of the side-rails A, and boards V, at their under sides, form partitions to prevent the hay from being blown or carried against the wheels, and guides J and J are arranged above and below the gears K and I, to prevent any hay or other su'bstance'being caught in the gearing.

A seat, S, for the driver is placed above the crossbar G, being attached thereto, and supported at a convenient height by a spring, I).

Extending upward from the cross-bar of the thills, and curved back beneath the seat S, is an apron or guard, W, which may be madeof metal or any other suitable material, to prevent the endsof the reins, or any part of the drivers clothing, frombeing caught, either by the teeth of the tedder or by any projection upon the ground, a also to prevent stones or other hard substances from being thrown against the drivers limbs.

' The cross-piege B of the frame may be dispensed with, if preferred, and the screws R, or regulatingdevice, be placed at the ends'of the side-rails A, with their lower ends fixed to parts of the frame beneath.

The guards G, J, and J, and the boards T and V, may be used together,.or either may be .used sepas rately, if desired.

' The guard or shield \V may be attached in a difi'erent manner from that above described, and still answer the same purpose.

The operation of my improved hay-tedder is as follows:

The horse being hitched into the thills, the driver takes his place upon the seat S; the arms 1) of the eccentrics E are brought forward, and held by pins 1' to the rails A, as shown in the drawing, whereby the reel is thrown into gear; then, as the machine is drawn for ward, the reel is caused to revolve rapidly in a direction opposite to the mbvement of the wheels By the motion of the reel the hay is taken from the ground, carried over the top of the reel, and thrown back of the machine, being, by the operation, well shaken and turned.

support M, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the caps m with the central support M, substantially as and for the purposes set 'forth.

4. The combination, with the frame or bearings which support the reel-shaft, of the eccentrics E, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the eccentrics E and siderail, A, or their equivalents, ofthe arms 1), springs s, and

pins r, substantially as and for the purposesset forth. 6. The combination of the driving-gears K with the wheels F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. V 7. The combination, with the fi'ame which supports ,the reel and the frame which connects the journals of -the wheels F, of adjusting-screw R and nuts 1; 0', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the'frame of the machine and the drivers seat, of a metallic or other suitable guard or shield, W, arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, in a hay tedder, of a triangular or three-barred reel, with ca'ps m, constructed sub'stantially as shown and described.

THOS. O. CRAVEN.

Witnesses:

Tnos. H. Donen, D. L. MILLER. 

